Governance, workplace relations and safety: What does the board need to know?

The role of a director is getting increasingly difficult and onerous. There is a tension between allowing management to address and deal with the operations of the business and the legal obligations imposed on directors which require that they sometimes delve deep into operational matters. This can cause conflict with management but also with the director who may perceive their best contribution differently.

The obligations of directors when it comes to safety are well known but those associated with the engagement of a workforce for the business are not so well known but increasingly the focus of regulators.

This article looks at some of the key areas that boards need to focus on including through recent changes to the Fair Work Act 2009 (FW Act) by means of the Fair Work Amendment (Protecting Vulnerable Workers) Act 2017.